Transits are important periods of time activated by planetary movements. There are eight planets—Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, plus the Sun and the Moon that are in constant motion within the cosmic universe. When these planets come into alignment with the planets in your natal chart, events and circumstances will be triggered, allowing you to explore the use of that planetary energy in a different fashion. Each planet represents particular qualities—to transform, restructure, change, activate, and dissolve. A closer examination of these verbs that appear similar, shows they are actually quite different astrologically. So when this alignment happens, these specific qualities are activated. What are we to dissolve, transform, or restructure? We are to deal with the various challenges outlined in our natal charts. The transits could activate changes to our careers, relationships, finances, children, homes, and friends, to name a few.

Let’s examine Saturn—known as the “great teacher.” Saturn wants us to become more responsible and to mature—grow up in some way, which is what life is all about. When Saturn transits and activates one of our natal planets, it’s time for us to restructure what this planet represents. As a teacher, Saturn can be harsh if we have not been doing all along what we need to be doing—e.g., if we shirk our responsibilities and are using our planetary energies in a different way that is not true to our soul’s path in life. When this happens, life can be depressing by throwing challenges, events and circumstances, difficult people, and roadblocks in our paths. Saturn makes us work hard to rectify these situations. Instead of being depressed by the occurrences, we can embrace the changes that come our way and learn our lessons.

One client, who shall be called Becky, had Saturn coming in contact with all of her planets except for Venus and Pluto (which would follow in the near future). It was mainly happening in the areas of work, day-to-day life activities, finances, self-support (or self-undoing), education, and beliefs. What were some of the noticeable changes? She lost her job—her steady income and work security (Saturn is also associated with security.) So there were money restrictions. She also became more responsible for an older person (mom), and she was faced with challenges in the area of emotional maturity, seeing relationships in a more realistic fashion, changing her thought processes and actions, and her whole self. At times when the changes and challenges became overwhelming, she became depressed. As she learned lessons and the transits passed, life started to become lighter—she found work and a career transition started to transpire. She dealt with her emotions, and anger transformed more positively. Money started to flow easier, and relationships improved. She has learned to “go with the flow of life” more and let go of some of her self-imposed restrictions, fears, and old habits that were no longer useful or necessary to carry. Without astrology, this transition would have been difficult to maneuver and understand. By seeing the “light at the end of the tunnel,” she was able to look ahead, knowing that the “heaviness” would dissipate over time.